Delay
by chaylorfan123
Summary: Based off the song Delay by Khleo Thomas
1. The beginning of it all

Chad Danforth was a 15-year-old with the dream of being a ball player. He knew ever since seeing his dad play in the NBA that that's what he wanted to do. Chad was a sophomore in high school and on the basketball team for his school. He was known for being a very strong and dedicated person.

Danforth was on the way to one of his best friend's party. He walked to the house, able to hear the music blasting from out of the house. Chad walked inside the house to see people all over the place upstairs and downstairs. He found his best friend Troy, who was throwing the party, and walked over to him.

"Hey man, you made it." Troy was the star of East High's basketball team and Chad was always right beside him. Standing beside Troy was Gabriella Montez, Troy's girlfriend.

"Yeah after begging my mom she finally let me come. How did your parents let you throw a huge party while they were gone for the weekend?" Chad asked his teammate while looking at the girls who were walking past.

"They don't know about it." Troy responded and received a chuckle from Chad.

People always thought Troy was the one to never go behind his parent's back, but that was a lie from the beginning. His parents didn't want him seeing Gabriella and today he's still with her.

Gabriella and Troy headed upstairs while Chad headed down to the basement where more of the party continued. Chad saw a few of the players from the team and associated with them.

"Hey man there she is." Zeke, another friend of Chad and Troy said, looking at the door.

Sharpay Evans walked through the door of the basement and looked around as people spoke to her and she hugged people.

"And she has a friend with her." Chad spoke as he looked at the girl standing next to Sharpay.

"Sharpay!" Zeke called out her name. She looked over in the boys' direction and smiled. She and her friend walked over to greet them.

"Hey guys." Sharpay hugged them all and introduced her friend who was rubbing her hands and looking down at the ground. "This is Taylor, she moved next door to me a few days ago and she'll be coming to school with us starting Monday."

Taylor looked up and smiled. She looked at Chad and eyed him up and down. Chad looked down and then back up at Taylor then looked away.

"Well, we'll see you guys around later." Sharpay and Taylor walked off into the crowd of students dancing.

"Yo, that Taylor girl is bad." A guy from the team said. Chad looked off into the direction the two girls went and saw Taylor and Sharpay dancing.

He was mesmerized by the way Taylor's body moved to the beat and the way she moved her hands. Taylor looked over and saw Chad staring at her and back the other way. That was the last time he saw Taylor that night.

* * *

The next morning Chad was at Troy's house playing a game of one-on-one and was both scoring shot after shot. They stopped playing after Chad won and went into the kitchen to get something to drink.

"Hey man, you're party was hot last night." Chad said as he sat at the table wiping some of the sweat off his forehead.

"Yeah, I heard Sharpay came with some girl. Who is she?" Troy asked.

"Her name is Taylor; Shar said she'll be going to school with us Monday." Chad responded.

"She cute?" Troy asked drinking his water.

Chad took another sip before responding. "She's mad cute."

"You like her don't you?" Troy asked.

Chad sat back in his chair, "Nope, I just think she's really cute." He wasn't lying though.

"Just use that Chad charm you have." Troy said.

"Naw, she doesn't seem like a typical girl I'm used to talking to."

Troy saw that chad was going into a deep thought and Taylor and snapped him out of it.

"What you need to focus on is this upcoming game we got coming up on Friday." Troy said.

"Do you not remember the game just taken place out there?" Chad referred to the one on one with him and Troy. "I think you need to be the one to focus on practice more than me."

* * *

Monday morning Taylor woke up and headed off to her new school with her headphones in her ears. She walked in the school getting stares from all the guys and headed into the office. She took one ear bud out of her ear and talked to the woman at the desk.

"I'm Taylor McKessie, the new student."

She received her schedule and walked out of the office, putting her ear bud back in her ear. She walked down to her locker which was right next to her first class which was home room. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around to see Sharpay smiling at her.

"Hey, what's up?" Taylor asked as Taylor stood against the other locker.

"Let me see your schedule." Taylor handed the blonde girl her schedule and smiled as she realized they had all the same classes. Taylor closed her locker and turned her body towards the blonde.

They walked to home room and sat behind one another. Gabriella walked into the class and sat besides Sharpay.

"Hey Sharpay." Gabriella greeted Sharpay.

"Hey Montez, this is Taylor. Taylor this is Gabriella." Sharpay introduced the two girls to one another.

They were all talking and laughing before the doors of the classroom opened and Chad, Troy and the rest of the basketball team entered the class.

Zeke walked over to Sharpay's desk and began talking to her as Troy gave Gabriella a kiss and then looked at the girl sitting behind Sharpay as sat behind her.

Class started and everyone went to their seats. Troy sat behind Gabriella and Zeke sat on the other side of Sharpay. Chad sat behind Taylor, who was sitting behind Sharpay. During class ms. Darbus made Taylor introduce herself and the class got a chance to know her.

* * *

I skipped lunch and walked to the rooftop of the school and saw Taylor sitting on a bench writing in a book.

"What are you doing up here?" Chad asked walking up to her and sitting beside her.

Taylor looked up at Chad and closed the book she was writing in and put it in her bag before Chad could see.

"It's pretty up here. I saw the stairs leading and decided to take a look." Taylor responded. "Why are you up here?"

Chad sat down next to her and looked up at the sky. "I come here when I need to think and get away from all the noise of the students."

"What exactly do you think about?" Taylor asked looking at him.

Chad looked at Taylor and smiled. "My mom, my future, everything."

Taylor nodded and moved the hair from her face.

"Well I been told I was a good listener, so if you ever want to talk you know I'm here."

Chad nodded and the two sat as the breeze cleared all the things going through their minds.


	2. Chapter 2

"You just met me yesterday, you don't even know me." Chad broke the silence and stared at Taylor.

"What's your point?" Taylor asked the curly haired boy that she thought was so cute.

"Why should I tell a complete stranger what's going on in my life?" Chad asked.

"You looked like you needed to talk to someone. Besides I'm not a stranger, I'm your friend, if you want me to be." Taylor smiled and put her hand on Chad's thigh.

Chad looked down at Taylor's hand and smiled at her, "yeah we can be friends."

"Cool." Taylor removed her hand and got up from the bench. "Well the bell's going to ring soon so I guess I'll be leaving. I'll see you around?"

Chad nodded and smiled at Taylor before she returned a smile and left.

Taylor was at her locker getting ready to go home when Sharpay and Gabriella walked over.

"Taylor where were you at lunch we were worried about you. You know you're gorgeous so you can't just go disappearing like you did." Sharpay said and Taylor laughed.

"Sorry I went exploring around the school and discovered the rooftop. It was so beautiful there were flowers and benches; it was just a beautiful atmosphere." Taylor answered as she took out her sweater and wrapped it around her waist.

"We could've come with you, all you had to do was ask." Gabriella chimed in.

Taylor closed her locker and put her backpack on her back and walked with the girls out of the school. "I was fine; I talked to Chad while I was up there."

"You did huh? I think you like him." Ashley said as they stopped walking at the entrance outside the school.

"I don't like him, I barely even know the guy." Taylor responded as the guys were walking up to them.

"Hello ladies." Zeke flashed a smile, "the guys and I were going to get ice cream after school, you girls want to go?"

Chad glanced at Taylor and smiled and she did the same. "I'll go, Taylor you coming?"

"I can't. I have to get home as soon as I can. I'll see you guys at school tomorrow okay?" Taylor looked at her watch and left the group and ran home.

* * *

Taylor walked in her house as silently as she could checking her watch for the last time. Her dad appeared from around the corner of the kitchen as Taylor was heading up the stairs and stopped her.

"Little girl you are a second late from when you are supposed to be in this house." Mr. Mckessie said to his daughter.

Taylor walked back down the stairs slowly towards her father, "I know dad but I was talking to a few friends of mines after school and I ran home as soon as I could. "

"Friends? It's only your first day, how do you get friends?" Her father questioned. "You been hanging around that blonde girl haven't you? What's her name? Sharpie or something?"

"It's Sharpay dad and she's really nice." Taylor responded.

"Are you back talking me?" Her dad shouted as he started to unbuckle his pants.

Taylor looked down at her father's hand which was on his belt and started backing up towards the stairs slowly as she shook her head. She dashed up the stairs screaming with her father running behind her yelling and cursing. She ran to her room and shut the door behind her and locked it. Her father banged and pounded on her door for what seemed to be forever but what was only for a few minutes.

Taylor walked to her bed and took off her bag and put it on the floor. She took off her shirt and saw all of the scratches and bruises on her back and side. It was silent as Taylor heard her father's footsteps going back down the stairs and sitting in his chair. Taylor went through this most days out of the week, some days she was able to avoid and some days she wasn't. She looked all around her room where there were pictures of her and her mom. She got on her bed and touched one of the pictures on her wall.

"Mom, I miss you." Taylor whispered as she kissed the photo taken of her mother the same day she was killed.

Taylor sat on her bed, turning on her music player and started doing her homework. She finished her homework and cried herself to sleep.

* * *

The next morning Taylor woke up with dry tear marks on her face. She walked out in the hallway to the kitchen to see her father sitting at the table drinking coffee. It was silent as Taylor got her breakfast and then went back upstairs to finish getting ready for school. Twenty minutes later she walked back downstairs, getting ready to head out the door till her father stopped her. She walked back in the kitchen to where he was and stood in the doorway.

"I'm sorry about yesterday, I was drunk and I won't do it again." Her father said with tears in his eyes.

"I know dad." Taylor started forming tears in her eyes because she knew he was lying.

"I'm going to get help. I mean it this time." He continued.

"Dad you said that the last time." Taylor said and stared at her father, the man she used to love and adore, but not anymore.

"I love you." He said and Taylor nodded, "I love you too."

Taylor wiped her tears with her sleeve and walked over to her dad slowly and kissed him on the cheek then proceeded with walking out the door. She walked by herself to school and put her headphones in her ears blasting music in her ears. She got to her locker and began pulling out books. Chad walked up to her locker and stood against the locker next to her.

"Hey." He said.

Taylor took out one earplug and looked at him, "hey."

"How you doing?" He smiled.

"I'm okay." Taylor replied as she took out the other earplug and turned off her electronic and put it in her locker.

"Your eyes are puffy, are you sure?" Chad examined her face.

Taylor put on her fake smile, "I'm fine."

Taylor closed her locker and turned her attention to Chad. "Can you carry my books; my back hurts a lot this morning."

Chad grabbed her books and they walked to their class. "Do you want a massage?"

Taylor turned around quickly as she felt Chad was about to touch her backside, "no, I'm fine. Don't touch me."

Chad was stunned back a little as if he was searching for the girl he was just talking to and having a connection with yesterday. Taylor talked to the girls, the beginning of the period while chad associated with the guys.

"Taylor, I was looking all over for you this morning to walk with you." Sharpay said to her.

"I know I was talking to my dad about something and I needed some time to myself, but I'm okay now." Taylor smiled to her friends who returned a smile.

"Boys remember that there is a basketball game after school here so stay after school." The teacher announced once she got in the class.

Chad spun his basketball around on his finger and Taylor smiled. Chad turned his desk over to Taylor as Gabriella and Sharpay engaged in a conversation with their boyfriends'.

"Are you going to stay afterwards for my game?" Chad asked.

"I don't know, I would have to call my father and ask him. Just to see if it was okay." Taylor responded as she started drawing in her notepad.

"What you drawing?" Chad peeked over in her notebook too see many drawings.

"Roses." She replied without looking up.

"Your favorite flowers?" Chad smiled.

"No, they were my mom's favorite flowers." She glanced at Chad and then looked back down at her notepad.

"Oh." Chad glanced more at the picture as Taylor added details in her picture, "it's beautiful."

Taylor looked up to see Chad staring at her and she began blushing, "thanks."

After school the boys basketball game was held, Taylor received permission from her father to attend the game as long as she wasn't out too late. He was sober when she talked to him. Chad's father was at the game while Chad's mother was a stay at home mom and his father was a former NBA player. The game was over and the boys had won 70-50. Chad walked out of the locker room with his bag and met up with his father in the gym.

"That's my boy." Chad's dad gave him a hug.

Chad saw Taylor talking to Gabriella and Sharpay and called her over.

"Hey chad, nice game." Taylor smiled as she hugged him.

"Thanks, Taylor this is my dad, dad this is Taylor." Chad introduced.

Taylor smiled and shook Chad's father's hand as she greeted him.

"I'll meet you outside." Chad said to Taylor before she walked off with Sharpay and Gabriella.

"Another girl you been flirting with?" his dad asked.

"No dad, if she was then I wouldn't have introduced her to you." Chad said as he and his dad walked off the court and to the hallway.

"Well I'm going out to dinner so I'll see you when I get home pops." Chad said.

"You'll probably get home before I do. Tell your mom I had a meeting and I'll be home a little late." His dad said before he gave him a hug and left.

* * *

Chad ran outside and met the gang outside and walked to the nearest food joint with them. They sat down, ate, and laughed till it was time to go. Chad got home at seven to see his father not there but his mother was in the kitchen cutting a cake. He walked in the kitchen and greeted his mom.

"Hey baby how was your game?" his mom asked as she licked the icing off her finger.

"It was good, I scored a lot of points and we won." Chad replied smiling at his mom as he scraped some icing on his finger and licked it.

"That's my baby." She said and kissed her son on the cheek.

Chad grabbed his bag and began to head upstairs before his mom stopped him.

"Where's your dad?" She asked scratching her head.

"He said he'd be home late, something about a meeting." Chad replied and he continued walking up the stairs.

* * *

"TILL 3:30 IN THE MORNING RON?" Chad's dad had just got in the house and his wife was highly upset.

Mr. Danforth was in the bathroom washing his face then came out to talk calmly to his wife.

"Alison you know I been trying to get this deal for a while now and it's going to take a lot of absence in the house since I am the only one in this house working." His father responded.

"I would be working if someone didn't get me pregnant and have me stay at home to take care of OUR child while you ran off to chase some dream." Chad's mother said as she took off her jewelry and stood by her side of the bed.

"Damn Ron, how much money do I have to give you just so you can spend some time with your family? The same hours you spend at that damn job! You're hardly ever around the house anymore and you're only there for your son when you show up to his games!" His mom was shouting.

"Would you stop yelling Alison? Our son is trying to sleep in the next room and you're screaming." Ron said.

Alison stared at her husband and shook her head and then got in on her side of the bed mumbling to herself. "Come in this house at 3:30 in the morning. IN THE FUCKING MORNING RON?"

In the next room Chad was wide awake laying in his bed as he listened to his parents argue from the next room. He wondered where all the love went between his parents. They used to be all over each other and now they're hardly near each other. Chad wrapped a pillow around his ears to block out his parents arguing. He thought about Taylor and everything that's about her. The way she walks and how she gets her books from her locker. He thought about the way she giggles and then how she really laughs. Thinking about her smile made him smile and he fell asleep awaiting to see Taylor in the morning.

* * *

**Please review, I spent a lot of time working on this one and I want to know what you think :) thanks!**


	3. Chapter 3

Avoiding her dad this morning, Taylor managed to get out of the house and head to school. She saw Sharpay and Gabriella waiting for her at her locker and she greeted her friends when they saw her.

"Taylor, we saw you meet Chad's father yesterday. What was that all about?" Gabriella asked.

Taylor opened her locker and struggle to stretch to get her books out of her book bag and into her locker. Her friends seemed too noticed and helped there struggling friend.

"I don't even know what that was all about. He called me over and his dad just happened to be there, go figure. Therefore, Chad introduced me to his dad and that was that." Taylor said as she closed her locker and turned her attention to her friends.

"Taylor, it's obvious that Chad likes you. No other girl has ever met his dad other than Gab and I." Sharpay said.

Taylor shook her head as the girls walked to the vending machine. "You guys met his father, was it because he liked you?"

Gabriella and Sharpay both looked at each other in disgust, "No, Chad's best friends with our boyfriends, therefore we have all hung out at his house when his father happened to be home, so we met him and his mom."

Taylor got her snack from the machine and turned back around to her friends, "That's what I'm saying. Chad doesn't like me, we're just really close friends and his dad was standing there so he introduced me to him. No big deal." Taylor walked off and proceeded on to her class.

Gabriella and Sharpay watched Taylor walk off and then stared at each other.

"Chad likes her." Sharpay said and Gabriella nodded in agreement and then met up with Troy and Zeke to walk to class with them.

Class had started and Taylor was taking notes when the door opened and Chad walked in with a note and handed it to the teacher. Chad walked and made his way to his seat next to Taylor. He sat at his desk and put his head down on the table. Taylor watched and pulled out her notepad and began drawing the sleeping boy sitting next to her.

Class ended and Chad woke up to see the class empty and the teacher tapping on his desk. "My class isn't a sleeping period, Danforth." She said and walked away. He began grabbing his books when he saw the picture of him sleeping drawn by Taylor. He smiled and walked out of the class searching for her. No luck of finding her he went to his next class and tried to pay attention till lunch.

* * *

All of the students entered the lunch room for lunch except Chad who was sitting on the rooftop lying down on the bench, napping. Taylor walked up the stairs to the roof and saw Chad napping on the bench and walked over to him.

"Chad." She spoke and one of his eyes opened and he smiled once he saw Taylor standing in front of him.

Chad sat up so Taylor could sit next to him and she did, she faced him.

"Why are you sleeping on the bench?" She asked.

"I just didn't sleep good last night, that's all." Chad responded.

"Well why not?"

"My parents were up arguing last night, about my dad."

"Well you live right by Troy, why didn't you just go to his house?" Taylor asked.

"I got sidetracked; I started thinking about other things." Chad smiled.

Taylor smiled, "like what?"

"Don't trip," Chad pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and held it up to Taylor. "You drew this of me?"

Taylor laughed, "Yeah, you looked so cute sleeping. If you don't like it I can just take it back." She tried to get the paper until Chad moved it away from her.

"No, I love it; you captured my features very well. Are you in art?" Chad asked her as he folded the piece of paper and put it back in his pocket.

Taylor shook her head, "I don't tell people I know how to draw, and you're the only person who knows. Well besides my dad."

"You don't talk about your parents much, what's up with them?" Chad asked. Taylor then stared at Chad and then looked ahead. She got up and walked towards the rail of the balcony of the rooftop. She rested her head on a pole and spoke, "isn't the scenery so beautiful?"

Chad got up and stood beside her, "it's very beautiful." He noticed how she brushed off the conversation about her parents and decided not to ask her again.

"So you're single right?" Chad asked her.

Taylor chuckled and walked back over to the bench and sat down, "yeah, is that shocking to you?"

Chad was still by the rail but he was now facing her, "Well yeah, I mean Taylor you're a lovely lady, you're smart, beautiful." Taylor looked down.

"I was always one of the boys, you know? So my old male friends always told me you know 'Taylor if we wasn't friends, I'd do this and I'd do that' so I guess I was never really girlfriend material."

"I think you're girlfriend material." Chad said as he stared at Taylor. Taylor stared back at him until she cleared her throat and broke the silence, "Well I thought I was too."

"So how about you Chad?" Taylor asked.

"What about me? What? Dating?" Chad asked and Taylor nodded.

"I mean I dated a few girls here and there but I haven't found the one that I can really connect too. I know I'm young but that's what I want. I want love and I want to settle down with someone who I can call mine." He explained, staring Taylor straight in her eyes.

"Is that the type of relationship your parents have?" Taylor was interested.

"Well they used to. I remember they couldn't keep their hands off each other, that's how much in love they were. But now everything's changed." Chad looked down.

Taylor got up and walked back over to Chad and looked out at the scenery before her, "well I'm sure you will. I mean you're an attractive guy, I'm pretty sure you can get one."

Chad smiled at her, "Thanks." Taylor still stared at the scenery but nodded her head slowly at Chad.

* * *

Taylor and Chad were in their next class that they have with each other and the teacher was introducing a new project being assigned.

"Want to be my partner?" Chad whispered to Taylor.

"Not if you're hoping to use me to get a good grade." Taylor whispered joking and Chad smiled shaking his head.

"Okay the project is that you will find everything you can about your partner and then type an essay about them." The teacher explained.

Taylor's face froze while Chad rolled his eyes.

After class Taylor stayed after to talk to her teacher, "excuse me but do we really have to do this kind of an assignment I mean, get into people personal lives? What if there really bad?"

"Taylor, it's just an assignment, you don't have to be a detective and get dirt. Just an assignment to get to know your classmate." The teacher said and dismissed Taylor out of her class.

Taylor was at her locker when Chad walked up to her and leaned against the other locker. "So I was thinking about the project and how we could start at your house."

After noticing the annoyed look on Taylor's face, Chad looked at her with a serious look on his face. "I'm just not that interested in this project that's all." Taylor closed her locker and chad took Taylor book bag and carried it for her.

They walked out of the school but stopped on the sidewalk when Taylor stopped walking. "I wanted to walk you home." Chad smiled.

Taylor thought about her dad and took her bag from chad, "its okay I can make it from here."

"Are you sure? I don't want any guys to attack you or anything." Chad smiled.

"Trust me; Sharpay has warned every guy in the neighborhood that if they touch me, they die." Taylor smiled and stared at Chad.

"Well, can I have your number?" Chad asked and Taylor looked at her watch and she was really in a hurry to get home. She didn't want another incident with her father happening.

"Look Chad you're a nice guy but you can't. I'm sorry but I really have to go. I'll see you tomorrow." Taylor said and ran off towards her house.

Chad watched as Taylor ran and turned the corner and then shook his head, feeling hurt. He blew air and then turned around and walked home.

* * *

Taylor looked at her watch as she ran up her driveway and ran into the house. She realized talking to Chad made her late into getting in the house. She saw her dad sitting in the chair when she walked in and just stared at him. Taylor looked at the table in the living room and there were liquor bottles all over the place.

Taylor slowly lifted one foot off the ground and made a run up the stairs with her father chasing after her. He grabbed her by the waist and Taylor started screaming in pain from her dad's tight grip. He dragged her back down the stairs and was now grabbing her by her leg towards him. Taylor's screams were soon muffled by her father putting his hand over her mouth. Taylor was able to bite his palm and received a smack from her father on her cheek.

Taylor scream was muffled. She watched as her father removed his hand and then throw her body against a shelf and all of her mother's pictures fell off the shelf and crashed all over the floor next to Taylor. Blood was now forming from Taylor's mouth and she had cuts on her arm. She felt pain from her back when her father dragged her down the stairs. She felt pain coming from her waist and a bruise was forming on both her leg and waist from her father's tight gripping.

Her father sat back down in the chair and watched Taylor groan in pain, "Now get up and go do your homework and when you're done with that clean up this mess you made and your face." He pointed to the pictures and glass all over the floor. "You look like somebody just beat you up girl." He said and smiled evilly. "That'll teach you from being late coming home."

Taylor crawled over to get her bag from the stairs and crawled up the stairs silently moaning from the pain. Slowly but surely she made it up the stairs and made it to her room. She slowly changed her clothes then walked to the bathroom and tried to look at herself in the mirror. She cried once she saw her face and grabbed a wet towel and wiped her face, wiping the blood coming from her mouth. Ten minutes later she walked back downstairs, having to hold on the rail to keep her balance and grabbed a broom and swept up the mess her father made. She wiped off the pictures and put them in a drawer in the shelf. She looked at her father who was sound asleep and Taylor walked back up the stairs but then became weak and ended up having to crawl. She made it to her room and bawled herself up in a corner and cried for the rest of the night.


	4. Chapter 4

**I didnt really like this chapter much, but still enjoy and tell me what you think of it.**

* * *

The following morning Taylor was sleep on the floor. She woke up and blinked her eyes a few times. Taylor struggled trying to get up off the floor. Her back was in the worst pain it has ever felt. She didn't really feel like going to school but she knew she had too. It took her a long time to get dress as she put on some make up to cover the marks on her face and the scar on her lip. Taylor limped down the stairs to see a piece of paper lying on the kitchen table.

_Taylor, I went to work early this morning. I'm sorry about what happened last night; I don't know what came over me. I drink way too much and I need to fix that. I just want you to know that I love you and I'll pick you up from school. I want to take you to a nice restaurant downtown. Daddy loves you!_

Taylor finished reading the note and threw it back on the table and rolled her eyes. She grabbed her keys and carried her book bag by the handle. She slowly walked to school and went to her locker. She threw her bag against the locker and slid down to the locker next to her and covered her face as she began to cry due to the pain she was feeling. She was late to school so she was the only one in the hallway.

Chad was leaving his class to go to his locker when he heard the sounds of someone crying. He looked over to see Taylor and walked over to her and sat down next to her. Taylor felt someone by her and she looked to see Chad sitting next to her staring at her.

"Taylor, what's wrong? You know you can talk to me about anything." He removed her hands from her face and she looked the other way as tears rolled down her face. He gently touched her chin and made her face him.

"That hurts Chad." Taylor mumbled as she moved Chad's hands away from her face.

Taylor couldn't hardly move she winced and pain every time she adjusted herself on the floor. Taylor wiped away the tear that was rolling down her face near her mouth and ended up wiping off some of her make up. She quickly tried to turn her head away before Chad noticed but she was too slow.

"Taylor what happened to your face?" He asked getting really upset.

"I was just in a little accident that's all." Taylor responded as she tried to get up off the floor.

Chad saw the struggle she was going through as she winced in pain and helped her up. "Why did you even come to school, you're in a lot of pain."

"I never miss a day of school. Can you pick up my bag?" Taylor asked looking down at the ground.

Chad reached down and picked up her bag from the floor. He moved out of the way so Taylor could open her locker. He watched as Taylor slowly put in her combination for her locker and slowly opened it. She had a long sleeve sweater on so Chad couldn't see the scars from last night on her arm. She put her arm back down to her side and walked away from her locker a little bit trying to hide her pain.

Chad noticed the pain Taylor was going through and the fact that she wouldn't tell him the truth was hurting him. He put Taylor's books in her locker and took out the ones she would need for her next few classes. He closed her locker just as Taylor was slowly walking back towards him. He held her books in his hands and they slowly walked in the class together.

"Taylor, do you have a pass?" The teacher asked Taylor. Taylor slowly reached in her pocket and pulled out her pass and handed it to her teacher. She passed Gabriella and Sharpay who were just staring at her. They noticed the marks on her face and were extremely concerned. Taylor winced as she sat down in her seat and Chad put Taylor's books on her desk.

Class ended and Taylor slowly got out of her seat while Chad, Troy, Zeke, Gabriella and Sharpay stayed after class.

"Taylor is you okay?" Zeke asked.

"Yeah, I was just in a little accident this morning. But I'll be okay." Taylor responded.

"Chad we'll walk with Taylor to her next few classes and you boys go ahead, we'll see you at lunch." Sharpay said as Gabby picked up Taylor's books.

The boys said bye to the girls as they all departed to their next classes. The girls had time before class started and were talking in class.

"Taylor now you know you didn't just get in an accident. What happened?" Gabriella asked her best friend.

"Guys, it is not a big deal. I hurt myself this morning while I was in the shower; it's not a big deal." Taylor lied to her friends.

"It is a big deal when you can hardly walk. You can't even carry your books." Sharpay said almost yelling. "But hey if you don't want to tell us then fine." Sharpay turned around and faced forwards as the teacher was walking in the classroom to start class.

At lunch Taylor sat with her friends silently playing with her food. Chad turned to look at Taylor while the others were engaged in their separate conversation.

"So I think we need to start on this project as soon as we can." Chad spoke and Taylor stared down at her tray.

"How soon were you thinking?" Taylor asked.

"I was thinking we can start at your house this afternoon." Chad said.

"I can't, I'm going to dinner with my dad and besides I would have to get permission from him to have you come over." Taylor said, still not looking up from her tray.

Chad sighed, shook his head and got up from the table. Taylor looked up from her food and watched as Chad walked out of the cafeteria. She looked at her friends who were strongly engaged in conversations of their own. Taylor got up from the table and headed up to the roof to see Chad sitting by a whole bunch of flowers. He heard the footsteps and looked over his shoulder to see Taylor then turned back around.

"Look, Taylor if you don't want to be friends with me all you have to do are say so." He said.

Taylor slowly sat down next to him and looked at him, "Chad I do want to be friends with you, and you're one of my best friends. I know we only known each other for a few days but we've gotten closer every day."

"Well if we're so close then why you can't tell me the truth of what's going on with you?" Chad asked when he looked at Taylor. She knew he was upset, she could tell it in the way he spoke to her.

"Chad I wish I could explain to you things but it's not that easy as you make think it is." Taylor said to him.

"How do I know you're really okay?" Chad was really upset that Taylor wasn't sharing information with him.

"I'm still here aren't I?" Taylor looked up at him. Chad shook his head and turned his head away from Taylor.

"Look you said you wanted my number, now you have it." Taylor slipped Chad a piece of paper. She knew she would be causing a lot of trouble at home with her dad, giving Chad her number but she really liked him and she wanted to talk to him more than just in school.

Chad took the piece of paper from Taylor and looked at her, she smiled a little and he smiled back. Chad got up and helped Taylor up, "thanks." She said.

After lunch the two proceeded on to their following classes. After school Taylor was back at her locker, hurrying to get her stuff so she can meet her father outside. Sharpay and Gabriella caught up with Taylor as she was closing her locker, "Taylor, we need to talk to you."

"Guys, my dad is waiting on me outside, I wish I could talk to you but right now I just cant." Taylor left her friends and hurried out of the school to see her dad's car parked out front.

Chad spotted her and walked with her, "Taylor, I was hoping I could walk you home today?"

They got outside and Taylor saw her dad looking at her and Chad talking, he was pissed. Taylor put her head down, "My dad is picking me up." Taylor said to him sternly before walking away and getting in her father's car. Chad watched as the car pulled off and Sharpay and Gabriella walked out of the school, wondering what was going on with Taylor.

"Who's that boy you were talking to?" Taylor's father asked.

"He's just a friend dad." Taylor responded. You could hear the fear in her voice when she spoke to her father.

Taylor's father clutched Taylor's thigh tightly and she took a breath. "You like seeing me mad don't you?"

Taylor didn't answer because she was groaning in pain as he let go of her thigh.

They pulled up to the restaurant and Taylor had tears slowly rolling down her face. "Get yourself together before we go in." Her father looked at her.

Taylor quickly wiped away her tears as her father got out of the car and opened the door for her. Taylor slowly got out of the car and her dad grabbed her hand and held it as they walked into the restaurant. The waiter sat them at a booth and they sat across from each other, "So how was school Taylor?" he asked. All she wanted to do was go home and cry.


	5. Chapter 5

I HAVE NO SCHOOL TODAY! Yay, that's the only reason why I am updating. So I hope you guys enjoy.

* * *

Chad and Troy were talking at their locker the next morning at school. "Dude I don't think she's interested in me." Chad said.

"We'll have you talked to her?" Troy asked, looking through one of his books and pulled out a piece of paper.

"Yeah, but every time I try to get close to her she pushes me away." Chad explained as he closed his locker and leaned up against it.

"Chad, you're trying to be her boyfriend before you're her friend. Take me and Gabs for example. I had to be just friends with that girl for 1 year before she let me even take her on a date." Troy explained.

Taylor and Gabriella walked past the boys and to their locker.

"Taylor nice bracelet." Gabriella said, eyeing the diamond bracelet on Taylor's wrist.

"Thanks my dad got it for me." Taylor said looking down at the bracelet.

The bell rung and they all began walking to their first class. Chad and Taylor sat next to each other and it was silent between them only because Chad wasn't speaking. They were taking notes in class the teacher had on the board. The principle called in on the intercom for the teacher to come down to his office.

"Behave children, I'll be back." She said before walking out.

Taylor continued writing as Chad stopped and looked at her. "So when do you want to start this project?"

"Um, I haven't talked to my dad about it yet, it slipped my mind so how about tomorrow, I'll ask him today when I get home." Taylor explained looking at him.

"Nice bracelet, who gave it to you?" Chad asked holding her wrist gently.

"Thanks, it was my mom's she used to wear it all the time. My dad gave it to me this morning." Taylor explained more.

"It looks beautiful on you." Chad smiled at her.

"Flattery will get you nowhere Danforth." Taylor joked.

* * *

At lunch Taylor sat with her friends who went off in their own little conversations. Taylor watched as Chad ate the leftover fries from her tray and laughed.

"Why didn't you get lunch?" She asked.

"I did." Chad said and Taylor laughed more.

"Are you going to drink that?" Chad asked pointing to Taylor's cup.

"I don't know who you been kissing?" Taylor joked grabbing her cup.

"No one yet." Chad said grabbing the cup and drinking Taylor's entire sprite. "Those fries were salty."

"Yeah I bet." Taylor replied.

* * *

The rest of the day passed over smoothly. Taylor got called down to the office at the end of the day.

"Your dad is on the phone." The secretary said.

Taylor picked up the phone and began talking to her father.

"Taylor, I'm going away for a while." Her father said.

"You're leaving? Where are you going?" Taylor asked scratching her head.

"I'm going into a rehab facility and I'm leaving you to stay with the Evans. I already spoke with her parents. Your stuff is already there and I'll be calling you every now and then." Her dad explained.

Taylor looked around to see a few people walking in and out of the office and she spoke quietly so people wouldn't hear her.

"When are you coming back?" Taylor asked getting teary eyed.

"I really don't know. But I got to go now; I just want you to know that I love you." Her dad said.

Taylor wiped a tear that was rolling down her cheek, "I love you too daddy."

She hung up the phone and wiped a few more tears before walking out of the office. She walked to the entrance of the school and saw Sharpay and the gang outside waiting on me. I walked over to them; luckily the sun was shining bright so I was able to put on my sunglasses.

"Taylor my mom just called, you're staying at Casa de Evans." Sharpay said and I smiled.

"Yeah," Taylor turned to Chad and began talking to him. "We can start today if you wanted to?" She suggested. "I'll come over your house if you want me to."

"Yeah that's cool." Chad nodded.

"Sharpay tell your parents that I started on my project with Chad so I'll be at his house and I'll be at your house later." Taylor told her friend and new roommate. Sharpay nodded and Chad and Taylor disbanded from the group.

"SO what changed your mind?" Chad asked Taylor.

"A change of events." Taylor looked up Chad.

The walk to Chad's house was silent as Taylor was thinking about her dad. Now she had no parent in her life. Her mother was dead and her father put himself in rehab. She was very happy for him and she was glad but she felt as if she was a lone. They reached Chad's house and Taylor examined Chad's house. It was very modern but mansion looking as well. They two walked inside and Chad's mother was sitting in the kitchen on her laptop.

Chad greeted his mother with a hug and she let go of him when she saw Taylor. "Mom, this is Taylor McKessie."

"It's nice to meet you." Taylor said as she shook his mother's hand.

His mother smiled at Chad before getting up. "Well I 'll leave you two alone so that you guys could get started on your project. I'll be upstairs if you need me. There's food in the oven if you guys get hungry."

"Your mom seems nice." Taylor said as she put her bookbag down on the floor next to Chad's.

"She's a good woman." Chad explained. "are you hungry?" He went into the oven to see that his mom made fried chicken.

"No thanks, maybe later." Taylor responded and sat down at the table as Chad sat down across from her.

"SO tell me about yourself." Chad said taking out some paper for him to take notes.

"What is there to know about me?" Taylor asked.

"Everything." Chad looked up at Taylor and stared at her. Taylor licked her lips and looked Chad in the eyes.

"You have really nice eyes." Taylor said as she looked down.

"Thanks I get them from my grandmother." Chad said still staring at her. "Tell me about your parents."

Taylor got up from the chair and walked to the living room and looked at all the pictures hanging, "tell me about yours."

"My dad used to play in the NBA. That's what I want to do when I get older." Chad walked behind Taylor looking at her look at all of his baby pictures.

"You're good, I'd put you on my team." Taylor said as she turned around with a baby picture of Chad in her hand. "This is really cute." She put it back on the shelf.

"What does your mom do?" Taylor asked him.

"She's a stay at home mom. She got pregnant with me while she was in college, and then I was born." Chad smiled. "Are you going to write anything down?"

"Nope, I got good memory." Taylor responded.

Chad took a step closer to her and Taylor stared at Chad's lips and she began to lean in until they heard the door opening and Taylor quickly turned and walked back towards the kitchen.

* * *

**Well i hope you liked that one, give me the feedback.**


	6. Chapter 6

Hearing the front door close, Taylor and Chad sat at the table waiting to see who would walk in but of course it was only Chad's father.

"HI Mr. Danforth." Taylor smiled as she saw the tall man walk into the kitchen.

"Well hello Taylor, it's nice to see you again. What are you two up to?" His father asked as he set his keys on the table.

"A school project." Taylor replied nodding her head.

"Well that's good," His father continued as he turned towards his son. "I got a practice set up for you on Sunday."

"Thanks dad." Chad said rubbing the side of his face.

Chad's father smiled before heading up towards the stairs and Taylor watched him go up until he was out of earshot.

"You really love basketball huh?" Taylor said turning towards Chad.

"Yeah, I want to go to college on a scholarship and then make it into the NBA." Chad smiled at his dream. "What do you want to do?"

Taylor sat there for a second, "I don't know what I want to do yet. I just want to do something I love."

"Well you draw really well, why not be an illustrator for children books? Or you can just be an artist." Chad suggested.

"I guess I could make a lot of money off of that huh?" Taylor chuckled before Chad nodded.

"So why are you staying with Sharpay's family?" Chad asked seriously.

"That's a long story; I wouldn't even know where to begin." Taylor shook her head a little and looked down at her fingers.

"We got time." Chad gently grabbed her chin for her to look at him.

Taylor stared at Chad with his hand still on her chin. Chad licked his lips and looked down at Taylor's lips as he began to lean in. Taylor's eyes lowered slowly as Chad reached down almost to her lips until she snapped out of it and backed up out of her chair and Chad looked up at her.

"What's wrong?" Chad asked concerned.

"Nothing, I have to go." Taylor rushed as she picked up her book bag and practically ran out of the house towards her new home.

* * *

Feeling the doorknob unlocked at the Evans's residence Taylor walked in to the quiet house until she heard the sound of a smoothie blender in the kitchen and followed the noise. Taylor walked in to see Sharpay making a smoothie and was beginning to turn around and walk out until Sharpay saw her.

"Taylor, come in here and talk to me." Sharpay had half an earpiece in her ear and the other hanging around her neck as she poured her smoothie into a cup. Taylor took off her bag and sat down at the table while Sharpay sat on the counter across from the table.

"what do you want to talk about?" Taylor asked confused.

"What did you do at Chad's house? Why are you home so early?" Sharpay asked.

"We just took a break from the project that's all." Taylor shrugged her shoulders.

"Okay well look, you're not in any clubs at the moment so you will need to join at least one club." Sharpay informed her friend.

"I see, I'll think about it." Taylor got up as Sharpay hopped off the counter.

"Now let me show you to your new room." Sharpay said as she carried Taylor's book bag and carried it upstairs with Taylor following.

They turned a few corners and reached Taylor's new bedroom which was beautiful. **(I have a link on my profile page with the link of what Taylor's room looks like.)**

Taylor looked around the room in amazement. She admired the lighting around her bed and sat on it.

"This is gorgeous." Taylor said feeling on the covers.

"I'm glad you like it." Sharpay laughed as she set Taylor's bags on the floor. "So, what happened at Chad's house?"

"Nothing Shar, I met his mother and we worked on the project that's it." Taylor said.

"mhm, okay well look I was going to walk over to the store on the corner, did you want to come?" Sharpay asked.

"Sure." Taylor nodded and the girls headed out.

When they reached the store, Sharpay received a phone call from Zeke and began talking to him on the phone. Taylor walked away from the giggling Sharpay and walked around the small store before she bumped into someone and a few of their items fell out.

"I am so sorry." Taylor said bending down as she picked up some of the items.

"no, it was my fault, I should've watched where I was going." The guy bent down and grabbed some stuff as well and looked up at the girl who was picking the things up still from the floor.

"Taylor?" They both got up and Taylor looked at the guy concerned.

"Who are you?" Taylor asked.

"It's me, Trevor." Trevor(**There is a picture, well it's a link, of him in my profile)** responded flashing a smile.

Taylor dropped the items and smiled big as she gave Trevor a huge hug. "Oh my gosh, look at you, you look amazing. What are you doing in California, last time we talked we were both back in Chicago."

"Well my mom's job company had to move California so here I am." Trevor explained when Taylor let him go.

"How is your mom? I haven't seen her since the divorce." Taylor said looking at Trevor.

"She's fine, she's dating some new man that stays out here." Trevor replied, putting his hand in his pockets. "How are you? I haven't seen you or talked to you since your mother passed away five years ago."

"I'm okay, I'm staying with my best friend and her family for a while." Taylor responded as she put a piece of hair behind her ears. "What school are you attending?"

"Beverly Hills High, I go there tomorrow." Trevor said looking at his long lost friend.

"No way, that's the school I go to." Taylor chuckled and smiled excitedly.

"I guess you can show me around then huh?" Trevor smiled.

"Yeah I can." Taylor smiled and hugged her bestfriend for so many years.

"Taylor, I have been looking for you." Taylor and Trevor turned heads to see Sharpay walking up to them.

"Well you found me." Taylor replied.

"Who are you?" Sharpay stared at Trevor in awe.

"Sharpay this is Trevor, we go way back." Taylor responded smiling at Trevor.

Sharpay looked from Trevor and Taylor to see the two smiling at each other and then they would look down.

"Okay well Taylor we have to go." She turned to Trevor and grabbed his hand and shook it. "It was really nice meeting you Trevor."

Sharpay gently grabbed Taylor's hand and dragged her away from Trevor. They were almost out of the aisle until Trevor's voice was heard again.

"Taylor, is there a number I can reach you at?"

Taylor turned around and thought before making her next move. Before now, whenever a guy would ask for her number she always had to say no. That was only because her daddy wouldn't let her talk to boys. But now that he's in rehab, there are so many things she can do now that she couldn't do before. She smiled to herself and walked back towards Trevor. She pulled out her cell phone and he pulled out his and they exchanged numbers.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Trevor said before walking away.

Taylor smiled and then cleared her throat before meeting back up with Sharpay and began walking home. They walked through the front door and Sharpay followed Taylor to her room.

"Taylor, that guy was hot. How do you know him?" Sharpay sat on Taylor's bed smiling like a little kid.

Taylor giggled and sat down next to Sharpay. "Trevor was my main best friend back in Chicago. We've known each other since we were in diapers. After I moved five years ago, we lost contact."

"You moved from Chicago five years ago and you're just now arriving to California?" Sharpay was confused.

Taylor took a deep breath and then looked at her friend. "My mom died five years ago after that my dad and I have just been moving from place to place."

"Taylor I'm so sorry." Sharpay said as Taylor got up from off her bed and begin to pull out her pajamas from her drawer.

"it's okay, there's nothing for you to be sorry about." Taylor gave a slight smile.

"Well, I'll be going to bed now so I'll see you in the morning." Sharpay walked out of Taylor's room.

Taylor changed into her pajamas and then laid down in her bed thinking about her day. She almost kissed Chad twice. Not only once but twice. Then she runs into an old friend who grew up to be a fine guy. Taylor shook her head and cut off her lights before going to sleep.

* * *

The next morning at school Taylor was at her locker with Sharpay and Gabriella. They were all laughing with each other about a show Gabriella was watching on television last night. Occasionally she would casually look around hoping to see Trevor, but every time was a disspointment. Chad, troy and zeke approached the girls minutes later.

"Taylor can I talk to you?" Chad asked Taylor.

Taylor nodded and they walked off to the side away from their friends.

"What's up with you just walking out like you did yesterday?" Chad asked.

"Chad I am so sorry, I just had a lot on my mind and I just needed some air." She lied. "Look how about after school you can come over and we can finish the project then."

Chad stared at his friend for a long time and then took a deep breath. "Fine, just don't kick me out."

Taylor laughed and they returned to the group. They proceeded in casual conversations until the bell rang for them to go to class. They all proceeded to class together. Getting settled in their seats, class soon started. The teacher was in the middle of a lesson as Taylor was writing notes when the door opened.

"Are you ?" A man's voice was heard and Taylor stopped writing as she looked up to see who it was.

"I am and you must be Trevor." Ms. Darbus looked at Trevor who then just nodded.

Taylor smiled when she saw that it was Trevor who was in her class. "You may sit behind Mr. Bolton." Troy raised a finger so Trevor could know to sit behind him.

Once Trevor got comfortable in his seat, Ms. Darbus continued on with her lesson. Taylor turned her head around to look at Trevor. Trevor looked up and over where Taylor was sitting and smiled at her. She smiled back and finished taking her notes for the rest of the class.

**I hope you guys like this one, I literally have been working on this one all day and I am tired. But I added a new character, there is a picture of him on my profile. I love Trevor Jackson ****. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter, let me know what you think. Mwah!**


	7. Chapter 7

The bell rung and everyone got their belongings and began to leave the classroom. Taylor was waiting outside of the classroom when Chad walked out and smiled at her.

"Were you waiting for me?" he asked.

Taylor gave a slight smile but then shook her head no. "I'm waiting on someone else."

Chad stared at her and then nodded his head slowly. Taylor hated when he would stare at her because she knew she couldn't resist those brown eyes. She looked at him but then stopped when they were interrupted by one of Chad's teammates. Taylor then stood in the doorway of the classroom and waited for Trevor to finish talking to the teacher. She was caught in a daze staring at him but turned away when Chad tapped her on the shoulder.

"I'll see you at lunch okay?"

"Yeah, bye." Taylor smiled and waved before he walked away. She watched him walk down the hall. She was so focused on watching him walk away that she didn't even see Trevor walk up to her.

"Were you waiting for me?" he smiled.

Taylor snapped out of her daze and giggled. They walked down the hall towards Taylor's next class. Taylor looked at the girls who were whispering about the mysterious new guy in the hall. Some smiled and looked him up and down and others just stared.

"So how do you like the school?" Taylor asked, trying to spark conversation.

"The school is cool. You guys have a lot going on here, nice." Trevor responded looking at some of the banisters and posters on the wall. "Are you in any clubs?"

"Nope, haven't found one that I wanted to join yet." Taylor said.

"Well you must come over to visit my parents; I know they'll be happy to see you." Trevor said.

"I'll try to visit them this weekend, I will." Taylor stopped walking when she reached the door of her next class.

"Well, I'll see you later?" He asked.

"Yeah, meet me at lunch on the staircase and you can sit with me and my friends." Taylor replied.

"Okay, cool." He turned and continued walking down the hall to his next class. I turned and walked inside my class, ready for an hour of boredom.

* * *

At lunch the cafeteria filled in with hungry students. Taylor got her lunch and stood on the stairs waiting for Trevor. Sharpay walked past her and then stopped.

"Are you waiting on that Trevor guy?" she asked.

"Yes, he's going to eat with us today." Taylor replied to her friend. "If that's okay?"

"I don't care." Sharpay replied before walking off towards the table.

Minutes later Trevor walked over to Taylor and she led him towards the table.

"Guys, this is my best friend Trevor. Trevor, this is Troy, Gabriella, Zeke and Chad. You already met Sharpay." Taylor introduced her old friend.

Trevor sat down in an empty chair next to Taylor. "Welcome to East High, Trevor." Troy said before taking one of Gabriella's fries.

"Thanks, so what do you guys do here?" Trevor asked.

"Well Chad, troy and I are on the basketball team. But we have a lot of other clubs like the drama department, scholastic decathlon, the softball team, etc." Zeke explained.

"Cool, any music or dance clubs?" Trevor asked.

"Yeah, but you can ask Martha and Kelsi about that. I'll introduce you to them later." Taylor said.

For the rest of the lunch period everyone got a chance to know Trevor. Everyone had class after lunch except for Taylor and Chad. It was a free period for them. When the lunch room cleared, Taylor and Chad walked to the library. They sat down on a couch in the back of the library.

"Where did you and Trevor meet?" Chad spoke.

"Trevor and I originate from Chicago, we've been friends since we were babies." Taylor explained.

"have you guys eve?" Chad asked as he moved his eye-brows up and down in a weird motion. Taylor gave him a confused look.

"Did you guys ever date?" he asked.

"No. That's something we never tried to experience." Taylor responded.

"Oh." Chad responded happily and the silence began.

They both looked around the room hoping the other would pop up with something to say.

"So I was going to go to the movies Saturday." Chad spoke.

"By yourself?" Taylor asked.

"Well no, I was going to ask if you wanted to join me." Chad replied while Taylor kept quiet.

"It wouldn't be a date. Just two friends, who happen to see the same movie together." Chad spoke nervously.

"It's not a date?" Taylor asked.

Chad began to stutter and Taylor giggled before shushing him.

"Chad, I would love to go to the movies with you." Taylor said before getting up. She stood in front of him.

"Oh really?" He asked.

"Yeah." Taylor smiled and slowly backed away from.

"Wait a minute now." Chad got up and walked to her. "I still don't have a number to reach you at."

"Give me your phone." Taylor smiled.

Chad took his cellular device out of his back pocket and handed it to Taylor.

"Nice picture." Taylor commented when his background picture popped up.

Chad laughed. He watched Taylor put her number in his phone then she texted herself. She pulled out her phone and saved his number. She handed him back his phone.

"Now we're all connected." Taylor smiled. "I'll see you later." Taylor turned around and left to her locker.

* * *

After school Taylor and Chad were at the house working on the project.

"So Taylor, tell me more about yourself. I only got three things so far. You love to draw and your favorite color is red. I need more." Chad said looking down at his note pad that only had 2 words on it.

"you sure you want to know about me?" Taylor asked looking straight ahead.

She and Chad were in her room. Taylor was sitting on her bed while Chad was sitting on the floor.

"I used to live with my dad." Taylor began to speak.

"Where was your mom?" Chad asked.

Taylor looked down as she felt tears forming in her eyes. "My mother passed away five years ago. The driver was falling asleep at the wheel."

Chad got up and sat on the bed next to Taylor and pulled her close to him and they laid back on the bed and she cried on his chest.


	8. Chapter 8

It was 8'oclock when Chad realized he was still at Taylor's house. After Taylor bawled her eyes out she fell into a deep sleep. He knew he needed to be home soon but he didn't want to leave at all, he just wanted to be there with Taylor. Taylor laid sleep with her head on Chad's chest. A soft knock was on the door and Sharpay stuck her head in through the door.

"I wanted to see if everything was okay. It was kind of quiet in here for a while." She spoke quietly after quietly stepping in fully.

"We were working and she fell asleep." Chad lied. He wasn't sure if Taylor told her story to Sharpay or not so he kept it to himself.

"That's a weird way to sleep, don't you think?" Sharpay questioned as she looked at the position that Taylor and Chad were in.

"Shut up." Was Chad's response.

The two quietly watched Taylor sleep.

"I know you like her." Sharpay leaned up against the wall.

"I don't like Taylor, we're just friends." Chad responded.

Sharpay chuckled as she got off the wall and walked towards the door to exit.

"You keep telling yourself that, okay?" Sharpay chuckled before walking out and closing the door behind her.

A few minutes later Taylor's eyes slowly opened and she looked up at the ceiling. Her arm moved to touch her forehead which caused Chad to look in her direction.

"I was wondering when you would wake up." Chad said as Taylor sat up in the bed.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep like that. We're supposed to be working on the project. Okay what's next?" Taylor obviously wasn't aware of what time it was. She grabbed her notepad.

"Taylor, its 8'oclock. I need to start heading home." Chad got out of the bed and started getting his things together.

Taylor reached over on the other side of the bed and read the clock. Chad's time was correct.

"Yeah, I guess you do need to leave." Taylor got out of her bed before grabbing her phone as Chad began to walk to the door. "I'll walk you out."

Taylor followed Chad out of her room and to the front door. Everyone in the house was in their separate rooms and it was only Chad and Taylor up. They walked outside and stood in front of the house.

"You okay?" Chad asked Taylor after seeing that she was quiet.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Taylor began to rub her arms with her hands. It was very windy outside. "I haven't told a lot of people about my mom. Only Sharpay knows. So if you could keep it to yourself, I would really appreciate it." Taylor moved the hair out of her face.

"I will. I'll see you tomorrow." Chad spoke before turning to walk away.

Taylor watched as Chad walked in the direction of his home. When he turned the corner she turned back around and walked back inside the house. She changed into her pajamas before she watched TV in her room till she fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning Taylor woke up to a screaming Sharpay. Taylor walked out of her bedroom angrily to see Sharpay in the living room. She had the TV on to the workout station and she was jumping all around the room doing her exercises. Taylor stood at the stairs watching Sharpay in disbelief.

"Sharpay! What are you doing?" Taylor yelled.

Sharpay kept her focus on the screen and continued as she talked to Taylor.

"Good morning Taylor, what a nice early morning this is." Sharpay was very cheerful.

Taylor looked at the clock on the wall.

"Sharpay, it is 7 AM. And it is the weekend; can you please keep it down?" Taylor asked.

"Sure thing!" Sharpay responded as she turned down the TV.

Taylor rolled her eyes and made her way back to her room. She climbed in her bed and slid under the covers. Taylor was on her way back to sleep until Sharpay came through the door drinking a bottle of water.

"So what was last night all about?" Sharpay asked as she sat on the edge of Taylor's bed.

"You don't listen do you?" Taylor looked up at her friend.

"Girl what are you talking about?" Sharpay was confused.

"Never mind, forget it." Taylor put the covers over her head.

"Anyway, what was up with you and chad last night?" Sharpay asked with a huge grin on her face.

"What are you talking about?" Taylor asked underneath the covers.

"I came in here last night and you were lying on Chad's chest sleeping like a baby." Sharpay smirked.

Taylor revealed her face and sat up. "We were working on the project and I fell asleep."

"On his chest?" Sharpay questioned.

Taylor looked at Sharpay. She didn't even feel like having the conversation with her, she just wanted sleep until it was time for her to get up.

"You stink. Can you get out please?" Taylor asked.

Sharpay scoffed, "fine, I'll go but I do know one thing."

"What's that Sharpay?" Taylor asked.

"You like chad. It's okay, I won't tell anyone." Sharpay said before leaving the room.

"You don't know anything!" Taylor shouted before she drifted off to sleep.

When Taylor was finally up, she walked down the stairs to see Zeke in the kitchen with Sharpay.

"Good morning Taylor." Zeke smiled.

"A little birdy told me about a certain date that you have with Mr. Danforth later." Sharpay walked over to Taylor and smiled.

Taylor smiled at her crazy friend and ignored her remarks.

"Why are you over here so early?" Taylor asked Zeke as she sat down across from him at the table.

"When Sharpay tells me that she wants to see me, I come." Zeke responded.

Taylor slowly nodded her head before finally noticing that the house was quiet.

"Sharpay where are your parents?" Taylor asked.

"I don't know working or something." Sharpay responded.

Taylor heard her phone ringing all the way from upstairs and rushed to get it. She answered it just in time to hear Trevor's voice on the other line.

"Hey Trevor, what's up?" Taylor asked.

"Nothing, remember how we talked about you coming over to visit? Well is today a good day?" Trevor asked.

"Yeah, give me an hour and I'll be there." Taylor smiled.

Trevor gave her the address before getting off the phone. Taylor hopped in the shower and was soon out and dressed and on her way to Trevor's house. It was a 10 minute walk from Sharpay's house but finally made it. She knocked on the door to be greeted by Trevor. Taylor sat down in the kitchen as she watched Trevor put dishes in the dish washer.

"So what are your plans for today?" Trevor asked.

"I told Chad I'd go to the movies with him later." Taylor responded.

"What is it like a date?" Trevor smiled.

"It's not a date…I don't think it's a date…no it's not a date." Taylor said which made Trevor chuckle.

"Chad seems like a nice guy, stick with him." Trevor said as they heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

Trevor's mom appeared from around the corner and Taylor practically ran to her.

"Taylor you look so beautiful. You look just like your mother back when she was your age. She had all the guys over her. I bet it's like that for you too." Trevor's mom hugged Taylor and then pulled away to take a good look at her.

Before Taylor could respond, Trevor made a joke, "Taylor is going on a date with this guy named Chad mom."

Taylor looked back at Trevor who just smiled.

"How's your dad?" his mom asked.

"He's in rehab so I'm staying with a friend." Taylor responded.

Trevor's mom gave Taylor one last hug, "It is so good seeing you again. It's like looking at your mother all over again.

Taylor smiled at the compliment as Trevor's mom made her way to the basement. Trevor continued placing dishes in the dishwasher as he spoke to Taylor.

"I didn't know your dad was in rehab." He said.

"Not a lot of people know, only Sharpay and you know." Taylor said.

"What was his problem?" Trevor asked.

"He had a lot of problems after my mom died." Taylor spoke.

"Taylor, you know if you ever need someone to talk to I'm here."

"I've been hearing that a lot lately. But I'm fine; you don't need to worry about me."

Taylor chilled at the house with Trevor until she felt that it was time for her to leave and get ready to go out tonight with Chad. She arrived back at Sharpay's house to see it empty. She ran up the stairs and quickly got ready. Her phone buzzed and she saw that she was getting an incoming text message.

_I'm on my way, be there soon. – Chad. _

Taylor smiled before quickly replying back a simple 'K'. She went in the bathroom and applied a little chap stick and applies some gloss on top. The doorbell rang and Taylor walked towards the door and smiled when she saw Chad standing there.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked.

"Yeah, let's go." Taylor closed the door behind her and began walking with Chad.

"Are we seriously going to walk to the movies?" Taylor looked at him.

"Yeah, it's not that long of a walk. And we could kill time before it starts." Chad replied.

"What are we going to see?" Taylor was nervous of what the answer may be.

"I hope you don't mind but I wanted to see Monsters University." Chad looked at her.

Taylor laughed, "Its okay, I had been wanting to see that movie too."

Taylor and Chad arrived at the movie theatres and Chad paid for the tickets.

"Do you want popcorn?" Chad asked.

"Yeah, extra butter please." Taylor watched Chad pull out more money.

"Jumbo popcorn please, extra butter." He said to the lady behind the counter and then turned back to Taylor. "DO you want a drink? We could share it." Taylor nodded her head.

"You know for this not to be a date, you sure are paying for everything." Taylor said as she stood behind him.

The lady handed Chad the popcorn and he passed it back to Taylor. Corbin gave the lady the money and looked back at Taylor.

"You didn't think I was going to have you pay, did you?" He asked and turned back around to get his change and the drink.

They grabbed two straws before walking out of the line and proceeded to the room where the movie would be playing. They sat down towards the back and Chad placed the pop in the cup holder and placed the straws inside the hole.

"How will we know whose is who?" Taylor asked.

Chad put on straw down, so that it was shorter than the other. "There, mine is the short one and you have the longer one."

Taylor smiled as she rubbed her arms.

"Are you cold?" Chad asked.

"yeah, just a little bit." Taylor said before she received Chad's huge jacket.

"Thank you." She put it on and the lights began to dim and the previews started.

"It gets really dark in here when the lights dim." Taylor said before placing a popcorn in her mouth.

Taylor sat back in her chair and rested her head on Chad's shoulder. Chad looked down and smiled. Without knowing, they both had stuck there hands in the popcorn bowl and their hands touched. Taylor shot up and quickly removed her hand.

"Are you okay?" Chad asked.

"Yeah, I'll be back, I have to go to the bathroom." Taylor said before she handed Chad the popcorn bowl and ran down the steps out of the movie.

Taylor walked inside the bathroom to see Sharpay reapplying lip gloss.

"Sharpay? What are you doing here?" Taylor asked.

Sharpay looked up before closing her tube of lip gloss. "Zeke and I are watching a movie." She turned around and looked at Taylor.

"Wait, what are you doing here? And who jacket is that? It's awfully big." Sharpay said.

"I'm seeing a movie with Chad and it's his jacket." Taylor responded.

A smile slowly crept upon Sharpay's face. "Just admit it Taylor, you like him and he likes you. If two people like each other than they should be together."

"Okay, so what if I like him? Now what do I do?" Taylor asked.

"Go back out there and tell him." Sharpay said before she walked out of the bathroom.

Taylor looked at herself in the mirror before pulling her hair behind her ears and walking out of the bathroom. She walked back in the theatre to see the movie already playing and she walked up to her seat and sat down next to Chad. She looked at him to see his eyes staring at the screen. Chad seen her staring and he looked over at her.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

Taylor leaned in and kissed him on the lips. She pulled back and looked at Chad and he was already staring at her.

"Everything's fine." She responded before turning her attention back to the screen.

They were silent for the rest of the movie. There was no movement between them unless the other was getting a drink or some popcorn. They weren't even focused on the movie. Their eyes were there, but their minds were somewhere else. When the movie ended, Chad dumped the popcorn and drink and they proceeded to walk out of the movie theatres. It was very dark outside, only the streets lights gave some brightness.

"Taylor, I think it's something we need to talk about." Chad said as he and Taylor walked.

Taylor, who was still wearing Chad's jacket, put her hands in her pocket and looked down.

"What's there to talk about?" She asked.

Chad stopped walking and he stood in front of Taylor, which made her stop walking as well.

"You kissed me, what was that all about?" He asked.

Taylor looked up at Chad and her eyes met with his. "Look, I like you okay. I can't control my feelings like I would like to. Me kissing you, was my way of telling you how I feel." Taylor looked away when Chad didn't say anything. He lifted her chin up and kissed her lips passionately. Taylor looked at him.

Me kissing you was your way of telling you how I feel." He said.

Taylor smiled before being pulled in for another kiss. When she pulled away, she smiled and held Chad's hand as they walked back to Sharpay's house. By the time they arrived back to Sharpay's house, Taylor was on Chad's back and she had her arms wrapped around his neck. She jumped off when they got on the porch.

"So, are we like together now or what? Because I don't just go around kissing guys." Taylor said.

"I want you to be my girlfriend, Taylor, I have for a long time." Chad said before he kissed Taylor.

This kiss was longer than usual. He deepened it when he pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her waist and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Taylor felt him trying to slip his tounge in and she let him and they tounge wrestled for a while. Taylor pulled back and touched her lip.

"I wish I didn't have to go." Taylor said as she wiped some of her lip gloss off of Chad's bottom lip.

"I'll see you tomorrow okay?" he said.

Taylor began to take off his sweater until he stopped her.

"Keep it, just in case if you get cold tonight." Chad said.

Taylor kissed him one last time before leaving him and walking inside of the house. She leaned back against the door and took a deep breath. She smiled and bit her bottom lip before walking towards her room. She thought a lot about Chad that night. She changed into her pajamas but kept on his jacket, only because she was cold. Taylor smiled before falling fast asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning Sharpay walked in to Taylor's room to see her smiling at her phone. She looked over to see a jacket on a chair.

"Is that Chad's jacket?" Sharpay pointed to the jacket.

Taylor looked up from her phone and looked over in the direction that Sharpay was pointing.

"Yeah, he let me keep it, just in case if I got cold." Taylor smiled to herself.

"So I guess the date went well?" Sharpay smiled.

"It was a lot of fun." Taylor responded.

"So did you guys get together?"

"Get together?" Taylor questioned, playing with Sharpay's mind.

"Taylor…are you and Chad dating?" Sharpay took a breath.

"Maybe we are…maybe we're not." Taylor shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

"I think you guys are." Sharpay said.

Taylor looked at Sharpay and shrugged her shoulders. Sharpay shook her head and walked out of the room when she heard the doorbell ring.

"What are you doing here?" Sharpay asked when she saw Chad standing in the doorway.

Taylor walked down the steps and stood at the bottom step and smiled when she saw Chad. He looked up at Taylor and smiled. Sharpay followed his gaze and turned to see that they were both smiling at each other.

"You guys are so cute." Sharpay said before walking away to the kitchen.

Chad motioned for Taylor to step outside with him. She looked over in the kitchen to see Sharpay looking for something to eat in the refrigerator. She walked over to the door and stepped outside and sat on the porch with Chad.

"I had a lot of fun last night." Chad smiled at his shoes.

"I did too; we need to finish this project Chad." Taylor looked over at him.

"I know I feel that there is so much more that I feel I don't know about you, Tay." Chad looked at her and continued speaking.

Taylor looked ahead and stared out at the kids riding their bikes on the sidewalk. As she stared out into the streets, her mind began to slip away. She started back to reminiscing about her days when her mom was still around. The wind blew her hair back as she daydreamed.

"_I'm right here holding you. I won't let you fall." Taylor's mom said to a younger Taylor. _

_Taylor was first learning how to ride a bike and Taylor didn't want her mom to let her go. But when she did, Taylor was riding the bike like a pro. She remembered seeing her dad film it all. _

"Taylor, are you okay?" Chad's voice snapped Taylor away from her thoughts and she looked up at him.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She responded.

"Okay so I was saying that maybe we could go to some of your favorite places to hang out or something." Chad said.

"Yeah that's cool." Taylor responded and nodded her head.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Chad rested his hand on her knee.

Taylor smiled and held his hand, "yes, I'm fine." She kissed him on the lips.

Chad got up and stood in front of Taylor, still holding her hand and he kissed it. "I have to go."

"Where are you going this morning, Danforth?" Taylor smiled.

"The guys and I are going to shoot hoops down by the court today. Maybe you and the girls should come through." Chad said.

"Maybe, I'll have to see what I'm doing later." Taylor joked.

"Too busy for me?" Chad smiled.

"Maybe." Taylor laughed.

Chad pulled her up from the seat and looked her in her eyes. He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"You're even more beautiful in the morning than at night." He said.

Taylor kissed Chad on the lips passionately and then pulled away. "I'll see you later."

Taylor let go of Chad's hand and proceeded to walk inside the house.

"Gabriella and I were going to go to watch the guys play, you should come." Sharpay walked down the stairs.

"I have something to do today but I'll meet you and Gabriella there later." Taylor responded before heading up the stairs to get dressed.

* * *

Taylor walked in to Robin's Rehab Facility (Made up name) and walked to the front desk.

"How can I help you today?" The lady at the front desk looked up at Taylor.

"Uh, I'm here to visit Robert McKessie please." Taylor said.

"Sign in here please." The lady handed Taylor the guest sign-in sheet and a pen.

"Follow me." She said as soon as Taylor finished.

Taylor followed the lady to an area where the visitors were able to see people. She sat down at a table and waited for her father.

"Taylor?" Taylor heard a deep voice and turned around to see her father walking towards her and sat down in the chair opposite of her.

"How you been daddy?" She asked.

"It's hard Taylor. It's really hard."

"I know, but you have to get better daddy, not only for me and you but also for momma." Taylor looked at her dad.

"Man I miss your momma." Her dad began to tear up.

"I miss her too daddy." Taylor gave a slight smile and wiped a tear from his face.

"I'm sorry Taylor, for everything I have ever done to you." He said.

Taylor looked at him and held his hand, "I forgive you. Just promise me you will get better."

Robert nodded his head, "I promise."

"Pinky promise?" Taylor smiled at the thought of her and her father doing pinky promises when she was little.

Robert smiled and looped his large pinky around Taylor's small pinky and smiled, "pinky promise."

"So how are you? Is the Evans treating you right?" he asked.

"Yeah they're nice people dad. Guess who I ran into though? Trevor."

"Trevor? Little T?" Her father questioned.

"He's not little anymore daddy. He's grown up into a very handsome guy." Taylor smiled.

"Taylor…" Her dad began to speak.

"Trust me daddy, I don't think of Trevor in that way. Besides I know you're rule. No boyfriends until I'm 16. Well daddy I'm almost 16 and I'm interested in boys."

"Well that's good to hear." Robert chuckled. "I guess my little girl is growing up into a little lady."

"Daddy, I'll always be your little girl, just your little girl with a boyfriend." Taylor smiled.

Taylor spent an hour and a half spending time with her dad. This was the Robert she liked, the sober one. Not the intoxicated one.

"Well I guess I'll be seeing you walk out of here soon." Taylor smiled. "You seem to be doing well."

"Yeah, they said I have been showing a lot of progress. But I think I'll stay in here a little longer than what I planned." He responded.

Taylor's smile faded, "how long?"

"I don't know Taylor; I just want to make sure that I don't want to even look at alcohol ever again."

"I have a feeling you won't be out in time for my birthday." Taylor said.

He shook his head no, "I'm sorry Taylor but I won't."

Taylor bit her bottom lip and looked down at her lap. Her father lifted her chin up.

"But I'll call you." He said. "Show me a smile." He smiled and soon so did Taylor.

Taylor got up from her seat and gathered her things. "Leaving so soon?" her father asked.

"Yeah daddy I got plans." Taylor said before she and her father laughed.

Robert got up and hugged his daughter tightly. "You're the only visitor I've had since I been in here." He said.

"I'll visit you often, Daddy." Taylor looked at her father. "I love you."

Robert kissed Taylor on her forehead, "I love you too." He let go of her and Taylor began to walk backwards.

"Be careful Taylor." He said.

"I will." She responded before completely walking out of the room and leaving the building.

* * *

Taylor walked all the way to the courts to hear basketballs bouncing and people shouting and laughing. She spotted Sharpay and Gabriella and sat on the bench by them.

"Taylor, what took you so long to get here?" Gabriella asked.

"I had something to do." Taylor responded.

"Sharpay was about to fight a girl for trying to talk to your man." Gabriella said.

"My man?" Taylor chuckled.

"Oh Taylor stop, we all know that you and Chad are dating. He hasn't stopped smiling all day." Sharpay smiled.

"Okay, so we're dating. Now what you gon' do?" Taylor smiled.

"I knew it! Sharpay and I knew it would happen soon." Gabriella was excited.

Taylor laughed at her friend. An hour later the boy finished playing and Chad walked over to the girls. He smiled at Taylor and then looked at Sharpay and Gabriella.

"We know when we're not wanted around. Come on Gabriella." Sharpay and Gabriella got up and walked over to Zeke and Troy.

Taylor chuckled as she watched Chad sit down next to her and wipe the sweat off from his face.

"You're very sweaty." Taylor laughed.

"No kidding Tay." Chad joked and smiled at Taylor. "I was playing hard." Chad took off his shirt and laid it to the side.

Taylor raised her eyebrow and smiled to herself.

"So why were you so late? You know you're my cheerleading Taylor I need you." Chad smiled.

Taylor shook and head and smiled, "I was visiting my father."

"In rehab?" Chad bent down to tie his shoe laces and then looked over at Taylor. He squinted because of the sun that was getting in his eyes.

"Yeah." Taylor looked straight ahead.

"And how was that?" Chad asked.

"It was fine, we talked about some things. I'm actually breaking one of his rules." Taylor smiled.

"What's that?" Chad looked at Taylor.

"I'm not supposed to be dating guys till I'm 16 years old." She responded.

"Sometimes you have to break those rules Tay." Chad smiled.

"Troy and Zeke are going to the beach later with Gabriella and Sharpay. Did you want to go?" He asked.

"Only if you're going." Taylor said.

Chad chuckled and nodded his head.

* * *

Later at the beach, the girls met up with the guys after they all had went home to change. Taylor laid out a blanket for her and Chad to sit on and a towel for them to use to dry off with.

"It is beautiful out here." Taylor said to herself.

She watched as Sharpay and Gabriella ran into the water along with Zeke and Troy following.

"You want to get in?" Chad asked as he already had his shirt off and his swimming trunks on.

Taylor took off her top and shorts to reveal a two piece swim suit.

"Does your dad know you have that as a swimsuit?" Chad stared at Taylor's body.

"No, who said he does." Taylor smiled as she backed away from Chad and walked away from everyone with Chad following behind her.

They disbanded from the group. Still able to see each other, but they were out of ear shot from one another. Taylor and Chad held hands as they walked on the beach.

"I used to come here all the time when my parents would start arguing."

"Well if I ever hear that you ran away now I know where to find you." Taylor smiled at Chad.

"Do you work out a lot?" Chad asked as he stood in front of Taylor and looked down at her body.

"No, that's Sharpay. Stop looking at me like that." Taylor smiled.

"I'm sorry but you just have a nice body Tay. You hide it under all of those clothes." Chad said.

"I have to; otherwise guys like you will be staring at me like I'm a piece of meat." Taylor joked and walked over towards the water and walked in more until the water was up to her knees.

Chad walked in with her and stared her in her eyes. He cupped her face and pulled her closer to him. Taylor looked up at Chad's lips and leaned in, along with Chad. Her lips touched his and she deepened the kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her even more closer to him.


End file.
